OTHER VOICES

A case for community-based care for at-risk children

By John CooperSpecial to the Star-Banner

Published: Sunday, July 28, 2013 at 6:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, July 26, 2013 at 4:57 p.m.

The unexpected resignation of Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary David Wilkins elicits mixed reactions. DCF contracts with local community-based care organizations to serve the neglected, abused and abandoned children. Kids Central is the lead agency charged with developing and coordinating services in Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Lake and Sumter counties.

While working side-by-side with Wilkins, his passion and big heart was unmistakable. He always desired to improve outcomes for the children and families we are tasked with serving. Under his administration, DCF instituted an ambitious and innovative way to transform child welfare protective investigations.

While the new framework provides a better guide to decision-making during investigations of abuse or neglect, it remains incumbent upon the lead agency to coordinate a continuum of services to help struggling families.

In an effort to build upon DCF’s efforts, Kids Central has identified research-proven interventions and strategies designed to meet the most prevalent and pressing needs of families in our community. In partnership with DCF, community leaders, stakeholders, contracted case management agencies, local community mental health and substance abuse providers, we are moving beyond DCF’s framework by implementing these new, promising practices and proven service models.

Kids Central appreciates and applauds Wilkins’ desire to change the child welfare system and will continue to strengthen our community-centered approach to building better lives.

Moving forward, we continue to be focused on meeting the needs of individual families and moving away from the existing compliance-based approach.

The success and functioning of families should be measured on the skills they have, their ability to parent, and changes in behavior. Our improved service continuum is designed and intended to accomplish just this, and most importantly, can only be realized by working in partnership with the community.

During the past nine years, community-based care transformed Florida’s DCF from one of the nation’s worst child protection agencies to one of its best. Florida leads the country in adoptions, visiting children, and is near the top in other nationally established child welfare measures. Most notably, this has been accomplished while dramatically reducing the number of children in foster care and increasing the number of children served in their own home.

It’s not time for a regressive paradigm shift to removing a child from their home as the primary solution.

Gov. Rick Scott’s interim secretary, Ester Jacobo, understands the importance of working with local communities and the strength of working together. I’ve worked with Ester and remain optimistic she will continue to embrace the community approach. She is an energetic, balanced and thoughtful leader who will fill the role nicely on a temporary or permanent basis.

While the changes in DCF leadership will affect Kids Central, our focus is unwavering. The unique formula of community-based care organizations like Kids Central has met the challenge set forth by the Legislature. Despite the historic revolving door of DCF leadership, the community-based care model allows us to continue meeting the needs of our families.

John Cooper is CEO for Kids Central, which serves Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Lake and Sumter counties.

<p>The unexpected resignation of Department of Children and Families (DCF) Secretary David Wilkins elicits mixed reactions. DCF contracts with local community-based care organizations to serve the neglected, abused and abandoned children. Kids Central is the lead agency charged with developing and coordinating services in Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Lake and Sumter counties.</p><p>While working side-by-side with Wilkins, his passion and big heart was unmistakable. He always desired to improve outcomes for the children and families we are tasked with serving. Under his administration, DCF instituted an ambitious and innovative way to transform child welfare protective investigations.</p><p>While the new framework provides a better guide to decision-making during investigations of abuse or neglect, it remains incumbent upon the lead agency to coordinate a continuum of services to help struggling families.</p><p>In an effort to build upon DCF's efforts, Kids Central has identified research-proven interventions and strategies designed to meet the most prevalent and pressing needs of families in our community. In partnership with DCF, community leaders, stakeholders, contracted case management agencies, local community mental health and substance abuse providers, we are moving beyond DCF's framework by implementing these new, promising practices and proven service models.</p><p>Kids Central appreciates and applauds Wilkins' desire to change the child welfare system and will continue to strengthen our community-centered approach to building better lives.</p><p>Moving forward, we continue to be focused on meeting the needs of individual families and moving away from the existing compliance-based approach.</p><p>The success and functioning of families should be measured on the skills they have, their ability to parent, and changes in behavior. Our improved service continuum is designed and intended to accomplish just this, and most importantly, can only be realized by working in partnership with the community.</p><p>During the past nine years, community-based care transformed Florida's DCF from one of the nation's worst child protection agencies to one of its best. Florida leads the country in adoptions, visiting children, and is near the top in other nationally established child welfare measures. Most notably, this has been accomplished while dramatically reducing the number of children in foster care and increasing the number of children served in their own home.</p><p>It's not time for a regressive paradigm shift to removing a child from their home as the primary solution.</p><p>Gov. Rick Scott's interim secretary, Ester Jacobo, understands the importance of working with local communities and the strength of working together. I've worked with Ester and remain optimistic she will continue to embrace the community approach. She is an energetic, balanced and thoughtful leader who will fill the role nicely on a temporary or permanent basis. </p><p>While the changes in DCF leadership will affect Kids Central, our focus is unwavering. The unique formula of community-based care organizations like Kids Central has met the challenge set forth by the Legislature. Despite the historic revolving door of DCF leadership, the community-based care model allows us to continue meeting the needs of our families.</p><p><i>John Cooper is CEO for Kids Central, which serves Marion, Citrus, Hernando, Lake and Sumter counties.</i></p>